She stopped running away
by HeedragonGillian
Summary: Eli is ready to Propose to Clare but something very important comes up :) This was a oneshot. Do NOT read if you're a hardcore eclare shipper because this is NOT eclare :*
1. Chapter 1

Hello! So this is my second fanfic :) I was reading degrassi fanfic last night. ( I always read fanfic before going to bed) And I remembered a quote that said " If you stop running away you will be found" And when I woke up today, at 6:21 to be exact, all I could think about was writing this so I did.

Eli was ready. He was going to do this, He'd gone to the jewelry store and picked out a cute ring for his cute Girlfriend. Eli was determined to Propose to Clare. What better time then now? No one was in the way, Not Julia, not Imogen, and he didn't have to worry about Jake anymore. He looked at himself in the mirror and smiled pulling his jacket over his shoulders. Eli pulled out his phone and texted Clare telling her to meet him at his favorite bookstore/cafe in downtown. He plucked out the cute little ring out of the box and looked at it. After looking at it he confidently placed it back into the little box and shoved it in the pocket of his pants. He made his way down the stairs and out the front door of his house. He laughed at himself for feeling so excited as he started up his car and pulled out of his driveway. On the drive to his destination all he could think of was Clare's reaction when he would propose to her, He was already picturing her crying tears of joy as she said yes and he'd slide the ring on and pick her up and spin her around. When he arrived downtown he circled a round until he found a close enough space to park. He turned off the engine and pulled out the key. This is it He thought as he unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of his car. He beeped the alarm on and started walking down the sidewalk towards the café. He stuck his hand in his pocket grabbed the little box and squeezed it. He pulled it out slightly to steal one last glance before he Handed it over to Clare. After a quick glance he shoved it back in and looked back up to see where he was walking. When he did he stopped dead in his tracks. He couldn't believe the sight in front of his eyes, It wasn't real, It couldn't be. He closed his eyes and squeezed them shut as if what he just saw was a hallucination. When he opened them she was still there, Standing in front of him Sharing the same thoughts. Shock and confusion Swirled in his thoughts.

"Eli? Is it really you?" He heard her sultry voice say.

His knees buckled at the sound of her voice. That voice he longed to hear so long ago.

"How are you here?" Is all he could say. He didn't understand how or even why this was happening now. Before she could answer she ran into his arms and hugged him tightly.

"I missed your warmth" She said leaning her head on his chest. Eli stood their frozen, He didn't hug her back, He couldn't. He still could not believe this was happening. He kept thinking it was all a dream.

She pulled away and looked up at his face. "What's wrong?" She asked with a frown on her face. Seeing his lack of response she looked down at the ground. "you're still mad at me for leaving aren't you?" She said squeezing her eyes shut trying to stop tears from rolling down her face.

"Leaving?" She left? He was more confused then ever. He didn't understand. All the pain he went through, All the pain he put himself through...was for nothing?

"I'm sorry. I wrote you letters, I wrote to you everyday. But you never replied" She said finally letting a tear escape.

"Letters?" He asked looking into her green eyes.

"Yes, Did you not get them?" She wiped her tears on her sleeve "God I feel so stupid now. Please don't hate me, I'm back for good now. I'm staying at my nana's house"

"I have to go" Eli said turning around to walk away.

"I still love you, You know. Always have, Always will" she said making Eli stop for a minute.

He thought about responding but decided against it and continued walking. He walked back to his car and got in. He started the car and drove back home. Once he reached the driveway he parked his car and sat there. He squeezed the steering wheel and sighed. He got out of the car and went inside the house.

"Bullfrog! Cece!" He yelled for them to come out impatiently. "Bullfrog! Cece!"

"Eli! what has gotten into you?" Cece said coming downstairs and bullfrog following behind her.

"Whats all the yelling about Eli?" Bullfrog asked.

Eli closed his eyes and took a deep breathe.

"Where are the letters?" He asked opening his eyes again.

"What are you talking about?" Cece asked.

"The letters she wrote to me! Where are they!" He yelled losing his patience.

Bullfrog and Cece look at each other and turned back to Eli.

"Who told you?" Bullfrog asked.

"Does it matter? Just give them to me!"

Cece nodded and Bullfrog sighed as he walked upstairs to his room and pulled out a stack of unopened letters and walked back downstairs. He handed them over to Eli hesitantly and he snatched them out of his hands.

"We were trying to protect you, That girl was no good for you. She was going to get treatment" Cece said as Eli looked at the letters.

"Protect me?" He laughed.

"Eli"

"No bullfrog, I'm done talking to you two. Leave me alone okay? I'm going to my room" Eli said running upstairs and into his bedroom. He sat down on his Bed and opened the first letter.

Eli,

Where did you go? I wish you were here.

You were hurting a lot when I disappeared.

Please somehow let me know you are okay.

I need to know, or I won't be able to keep my tears at bay.

I'm really hoping and praying that you are alive.

And I want your shattered happiness to revive.

I also want to give you hope for breath.

Please I don't want to lose another person to death.

I know there's no way I can save you with my little rhymes.

But please let me save you, you said I was in the nick of time.

You said I appeared exactly the day when you needed a friend.

"I gotta go rest for a long time" You told me at day's end.

I'm hoping, that it meant you really had to rest.

And not succumb to death, the thought of such causes me stress.

My health has been moving south more quickly than before.

My love, come back, I can't take this anymore.

Eli's eyes started to water as he read through the whole pile. By the time he got to the last one he was already in tears.

Eli,

My birthday is coming up, I'm almost eighteen which means they're letting me leave. I'm so excited to come home. I missed you so much. I'm better now the counselors here really do help. I feel so happy about getting to leave. I can't wait to see your face and hug you! I love you so much! Although I have to admit I am scared. it's been so long, Gosh I don't even know if you still feel the same way or if you've found someone else or if you even remember me? Well I guess I'll find out when I go home. I'm sorry for everything, the pain and suffering I put you through. and even though you don't reply to my letters, writing to you everyday has kept me sane. Without it I wouldn't be able to leave this place. So thank you. Well I guess I'll see you soon.

Love,

Julia.

Eli continued to let his tears fall and he placed the letter aside. He was in disbelief. The love of his life, the one he mourned over for so long, was alive. She had never passed. This whole time she was alive and no one told him. He was angry. Why didn't anybody tell him, although now it all made sense. When bullfrog told him She had passed and that her parents didn't want Eli at the funeral he didn't understand, But now he did. A vibrating sound coming from his desk snapped him out of his thoughts. He picked up his phone and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Eli? Thank god you finally picked up! I waited for you and you never showed up and when I tried calling you there was no answer I was so worried! Are you okay? what happened?" Clare's voice rang on the other side of the phone.

"I'm fine. Something came up at home. I'm sorry"

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked.

"No. Can I call you back later?"

"Sure" And with that Eli hung up.

Right now Clare was the LAST thing on his mind. The love of his life came back on the day he was going to propose to another girl and he had absolutely no idea what to do. Julia coming back changed everything. He stilled loved her and he probably always did but he had a girlfriend now. He needed guidance but he didn't trust his parents now and he no longer had his best friend to talk to. He looked back at his phone and scrolled down the contact list. He dialed the only other person he could trust.

"Eli?" Imogen's voice asked confused as to why Eli was calling her.

"I know this is random and all but I need help Imo, and you're the only person I can trust right now" He said.

"Ok, what's up?"

"Please promise not to tell anyone" He pleaded.

"Ok I promise, But what's going on Eli you're kind of scaring me"

"Julia's back" He spoke softly into the phone.

"Julia? As in your dead ex-girlfriend Julia?" She asked.

"Yes, except she was never dead her parents sent her away to get treatment and they lied to keep us apart"

"Wow...That sucks. So how can I help?"

"Well I was going to propose to Clare when I bumped into Julia today. And now my feelings are all screwed up and I don't know what to do. I mean what would you do if the love of your life came back all of a sudden?"

"Well" She sighed "If Fiona came back, I'd be with her in a heartbeat. Look Eli, if you really love Clare then propose to her but if your feelings for Julia are greater and stronger, then do what your heart desires and be with her"

"Okay, Thanks Imo. It means a lot to know that I can trust you to be there for me when I need it" Eli smiled.

"Sure anytime. Just don't forget to keep me posted on whatever you decide to do"

"Sure thing, Thanks again. Night"

"Night" Imogen said and Eli hung up. He took a deep breathe and bolted out his room and ran down the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Cece asked as Eli headed towards the front door.

"Not talking to you" he said slamming the door and walking to his car. He started up the engine and drove off. He stopped and parked in front of an old house and got off. He walked up the porch steps and knocked on the door.

"Yes, how may I help you?" An elderly looking woman answered the door.

"Is Julia here?" Eli asked nervously.

"Yes, come in she's in her room upstairs" The woman said stepping aside to let him inside.

He walked inside and walked up the old staircase and made his way into the hallway. He stopped when he heard Conor Oberst voice coming from the other side of a green door. He took the knob in his hand and twisted it opening the door. He stuck his head in to see Julia sitting cross legged on the floor next to a record player. He slowly and quietly came in and shut the door behind him.

"Julia" He said making her look up. She almost immediately Smiled and got up.

"Eli" She running to him and hugging him just like she had done earlier that day except this time Eli hugged her back just as tight.

"I'm sorry I never replied to your letters, I was told you had died, I didn't know you were alive" Eli said Allowing a tear to escape from his left eye.

"It's ok, All that matters is I'm here now and we can be together again" She said wiping the tear off his cheek with the sleeve of her hoodie.

"I have a girlfriend" He said and Julia pulled away from the hug

"You do?" She asked

"Yeah, I do. I was going to propose to her today when I bumped into you"

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry how selfish of me. I should've known you couldn't wait for me forever. I'm so stupid" She said sitting down on her little bed.

"You're not stupid or selfish" He said sitting down next to her "You coming back, You being here changes everything. Don't you get it Julia? You're the love of my life! I love Clare but I'm not in love with her. I'm in love with you!" He said Turning to look at her.

"Do you mean that?" She asked looking into his eyes as if his answer were in them.

"Yes I do" Eli said taking her face in his hands and kissing her softly.

"I missed this" Julia whispered as the pulled away and he rested his forehead on hers.

"Me too"

Eli stayed with her the whole night. And the next day there was a knock on Clare's door.

"Eli, Clare's upstairs you wanna come inside?" Jake asked.

"No that's okay, can you tell her to come out here?" Eli asked.

"Sure" Jake said turning back to the inside of the house "Clare! Eli is here!" Jake yelled.

"Thanks man"

"No problem" Jake smiled walking away as Clare approached the door.

"Hey"

"Hey, Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure" She said coming out and closing the door behind her.

"Listen Clare I love you a lot, and I Care for you"

"Why do I feel like this isn't a good thing?"

"That's just it Clare. I love you but I'm not in love with you. I'm sorry if I sound like a complete jerk right now but I just want to be honest with you"

"Wait you're seriously breaking up with me right now? What happened to you?"

"I'm going to be completely honest with you. It's Julia I still Love her and I probably will always be in love with her. I'm sorry" Eli said leaning in to kiss her cheek and walk away leaving Clare standing there in shock and disbelief.

Eli was happy now after suffering so long, he finally felt complete. He thought He had gotten over Julia but it was far from that.

Sorry if you didn't like it it's just an idea that popped into my head last night. Anyway please review and let me know what you think! The first letter is actually a poem by Hiddenstarsinthesand called "where did you go?" I did not write it I just changed some words.


	2. Chapter 2

You guys asked for a second part, so here it is! Although I'm not sure how the story's gonna progress but I'll try :D

Clare walked back inside her house in shock. She could not believe what had just happened, She closed the door and leaned against it thinking of how last night everything was fine, they were fine. And now all of a sudden Eli wants to break up because he's still in love with his DEAD ex-girlfriend? She sighed "I thought he was over her" She whispered quietly to herself.

"what?" Jake said approaching her.

"Nothing" She said getting up and running past him upstairs to her room.

No no no, He just thinks he's in love with her, But he's not. He can't be. Clare paced back in forth in her room telling herself over and over again that Eli just needed some convincing to see that he was totally over Julia. Yeah that's it I'll just have sex with him she thought "That'll convince him" She smiled walking over to her closet to pick out something hot to wear.

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Eli drove back to Julia's nana's house. He walked upstairs back to her room where she lied in bed waiting for him.

"so, where'd you run off to?" She asked sitting up.

"To see Clare" He smiled taking off his coat and sitting down next to her.

"oh"

"No, not like that I went to see her to end things between us" He said draping his arm over Julia's shoulder.

"How'd it go?" She asked curiously.

"Not bad, She took it quite well"

"Really? wow" She said resting her legs on his lap.

"So, what'd you do while I was out?" Eli asked rubbing her legs with his left hand.

"Well, I lied here in my bed in total despair. Gazing out the window wondering where in the world is Elijah Goldsworthy" She giggled making him roll his eyes.

"How could you not!"

"So...you didn't tell anyone I was back right?" She asked quietly.

"No, Okay yes I did but I only told one person and I promise they won't say anything" He smiled.

"Who knows?"

"Not Clare I promise, Just my friend Imogen, She's really cool I think you'll like her"

"Imogen? I like that name, You'll introduce me yeah?" Julia said arching her eyebrow.

"Of course, So why don't you want anybody to know?" Eli asked slightly adjusting his position so he was facing her completely.

"It's just, I worked so hard to fix myself after all that happened here and at degrassi. Right now I just want to take baby steps, If that makes sense"

"I get it, So you free tomorrow afternoon?"

"Yeah, You leaving?" She pouted.

"I don't want to but I got to finish a writing assignment" He said as Julia swung her legs off his lap.

"Okay, See you tomorrow then"

"Night" Eli said leaning down to give her a short yet passionate kiss on the lips.

Julia smiled as she watched Eli leave her room as soon as he closed the door she fell back onto her bed with such bliss. She was just so happy to have Eli in her life again. Her cheeks burned and she smacked her self a little trying to slow down her heartbeat and calm herself down.

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Eli parked his car and locked it on his way up the front steps. He jammed his key in and opened the front door. He threw his keys in the bowl on the table next to the door.

"Eli, you're home" Bullfrog said looking up from his work.

"Obviously" Eli muttered under his breathe.

"Eli, please you don't understand" He said getting up.

"Not talking to you" Eli said walking around him towards the stairs.

"Eli wait! There's something I-" Cece said reaching out to grab his arm but retracting it.

"What part of not talking to you do you not understand!" He said stomping up the stairs and to his room where he put in the combination and unlocked the door. He made a mental note of changing his combination from Julia's supposed death date to Today, The day Julia came back. He smiled thinking about her but as he swung the door open his smile quickly faded.

"Clare what are you doing here? How did you get in?" Eli asked shocked to see Clare sitting on his bed with a large coat on.

"Adam gave me the combination a while ago" She smiled.

"Okay...what are you doing here?"

"I came to talk about what happened today" She said getting up and walking over to Eli.

"What's there to talk about, I already told you, I love Julia and I always will" He replied stepping back to get more distance between them.

"Eli, You think your in love with her but you're not, it's just your guilt that's making you feel that way"

"No it's not, I love Julia. I've been in love with her since the day I met her" Eli said raising his voice a bit.

"That's why I'm here, To show you that you're wrong and that you're not in love with her" Clare said taking off her coat and letting it pool around her ankles. She smirked as she stood there in nothing but see through under garments. Clare got closer to Eli and reached for his belt but he was quick to stop her.

"Clare stop! I already told you I love Julia and I can't be with you I'm sorry" He said lightly pushing her away. he bent down and picked up her coat, He handed it to her but she just backed away and started undressing.

"Clare please get out! Before I lose my patience" Eli pleaded handing her the coat but She kept on undressing.

"CLARE GET OUT!" He yelled covering her with the coat and pushing her out of his room. He locked the door and plopped down at his desk. Eli sighed he couldn't believe Clare showed up at his let alone trying to have sex with him. He shook the thoughts out of his head and started working on his paper.

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Sorry if it was short, I'm still trying to figure out how this story's going to go.

I hope you liked it, and Please review and let me know


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